PS News

Almost 250,000 Public Servants in the United Kingdom are expected to take part in a strike on Budget Day, 20 March.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union have organised a three-month program of strikes and protests over pay, pensions and working conditions which will start with a mass walkout on Budget Day.

General Secretary of the PCS, Mark Serwotka said the union had asked repeatedly for talks on the key issues affecting the lives of Public Servants but the government had refused to negotiate.

“This is not a one-day protest, this is the start of a rolling program of walkouts and disruptive action to put pressure on a government that is refusing to talk to us,” Mr Serwotka said.

“Civil and public servants are working harder than ever to provide the services we all rely on but, instead of rewarding them, the government is imposing cuts to their pay, raiding their pensions and trying to rip up their basic working conditions.

“We warned more than two years ago that austerity wouldn’t work and we were right.”

He said there was an alternative to cutting the living standards of Public Servants and the union’s campaign was designed to make the case.

A spokesman for the Cabinet Office said the union’s announcement was disappointing.

“Yet again, the PCS is pushing for futile action which benefits no-one, and damages the services they deliver to the public,” the spokesman said.

“The Government took the tough decision to freeze public sector pay for two years, while protecting those earning under £21,000 (A$30,700) by increasing their pay by at least £250 (A$365) per year.

“Pay restraint has helped to protect jobs in the public sector and support high-quality public services.”

London, 6 March 2013

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